Category Archives: Holidays

Try Italian Bubbly for New Year’s Eve

30 Tuesday Dec 2014

Posted by in Holidays, Italy

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There are so many good choices for a glass of sparking wine or bubbly at New Years you can hardly go wrong.

Most of us probably won’t be buying Dom Perginon, Krug, or Cristal for the New Year’s toast Wednesday night. But there is plenty of time to grab a bottle of sparkling wine in the $10-$20 range that you and your guests can enjoy.

new_years_toastMy first instinct is to always send people to Italy’s Prosecco. The northern Italian region of Prosecco produces some of the most drinkable bubbly in the world. I quick primer starts with location. The Prosecco region in in the far northeastern corner of the boot surrounding Venice. Glera is the main grape of Proseeco, a native grape dating back to the time of the Romans. There are up to seven other grapes often blended in up to 15 percent.

Prosecco is usually a straw-yellow sparkler with a floral nose, hints of apple and pear with modest alcohol. It drinks fresh, smooth and even elegant.

The Italian bubbly is also growing in popularity as a year round drink. U.S. Prosecco exports. Imports increased 27 percent to the states in the first quarter of this year.

thBut what should go looking for? If you want to try Prosecco start with the widely available Riondo Spago Nero. The wine is really easy to drink, 100 percent Glera, and a cool 10.5 percent alcohol. I’ve probably seen this bottle in more wine shops than any other Italian Prosecco.

Another I enjoyed just as much or more was the Astoria “Lounge” Prosecco, an extra dry sparkling wine. This had really powerful pear and rich apple flavor. It’s in a distinctive squat bottle and just 11 percent alcohol.

astoria_prosecco__33659.1389809720.1280.1280The suggested price on these two Prosecco wines is $14 for the Riondo and $11 for the Astoria. Both were trade samples.

Bolla_Sparkling-Rose-bottle-135x450Let’s stay in northern Italy but take a look at the Banfi’s Bolla Sparkling Rose’. There is nothing like sparkling Rose’ for a toast or to start your morning tour when visiting old Europe.

The Bolla is made of Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir, and Raboso. It’s very floral, more pronounced fruit and a delightful sipper. It’s another wine that’s really easy to find. The Bolla is also a modest 11 percent alcohol. It’s normally priced around $12-$14.

The great thing about these wines are their affordability and wonderfully light taste. Buy several and enjoy them throughout the year. Sparkling wine makes a great summer sipper.

Buy Your Winos a Decanter

24 Wednesday Dec 2014

Posted by in Aerators, Gizmos & Wine Gadgets, Holidays, Newspaper Column 2014

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Tis the season and holiday shoppers often find themselves grabbing last-minute gifts. If there is a wine drinker on your list pay attention – don’t buy them wine.

Grape Sense LogoThat’s right, for the serious red wine drinkers on your Santa sheet wine is probably not a good idea. Now, if you know wine and know the wine drinker well enough to understand what they really enjoy go ahead.

But every holiday season retail shops get bombarded with well-meaning customers wanting recommendations on wine as a gift. If you insist, there will be a few recommendations at the bottom of this column.

Instead of the fermented grape juice buy your friend or family member a great wine-related gift. There is one choice any wine drinker will appreciate and could use whether they know it or not. Almost any wine at any price point will benefit from decanting.

Decanters come at every imaginable price point. You can find a decanter at your local home store for around $20 or even less. You can shop the traditional wine glassware companies and pay more. You can buy a Riedel decanter at all price points all the way up to more than $1,000. The top end are hand blown in the original Austrian factory.

Decanters come at all price points.

Decanters come at all price points.

Wine is decanted to add oxygen and allow the wine to ‘open up’ after all of that time in the bottle. This is particularly true for young wines – inexpensive or pricey.

Purchase a decanter with a large bowl. Those work best. Decanting wine can also lead to lots of questions about sediment. Some sort of strainer is often necessary when decanting or serving the wine from the decanter, especially for older wines. That stuff won’t harm you but it’s going to be bitter. Many aerators come with some sort of filter to take care of that problem.

A young, lighter-style wine will really benefit from 30 minutes to an hour-long decant. A big red wine, like Cabernet, up to two hours. Some wine, like an Italian Sangrantino, may require several hours.

A great lesson in learning more about wine can coincide with the decanting process. First, open a bottle of wine and pour a taste. Make mental notes of what the wine was like. Then pour a small taste again an hour later. The wine will be different and probably better tasting, less astringency and more pronounced fruit.

Older wines often require less of a decant and more attention to sediment. The taste test is important to learn what works best for your palate.

Now, if you insist a bottle of wine is a nicer gift than glassware go ahead and buy a bottle or two. If you know your friend or family member really likes wine but you have no idea what to buy, play it safe. Pinot Noir at the $20 and up price point makes an excellent gift. If they drink white wine try finding an unoaked Chardonnay. There are many good labels of unoaked Chard around $15.

If you’re willing to splurge buy Pinot at the $40-$50 range for great wine. But French Chablis for the white drinkers at about the same cost.

Merry Christmas and a very Happy Holiday toast!

Some Advice on Gifting Wine

12 Thursday Dec 2013

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A bottle of wine is an easy and often-appreciated holiday gift. Whether it’s a traditional Christmas present or a gift brought to a social occasion as a ‘thank you,” wine is a big part of many holiday celebrations.

Gifting the real wine lover isn’t simple though. If there is an oenophile on your shopping list it’s easy to pick a nice bottle if you know the individual’s preferences. In such cases, it’s just a matter of arriving at a price point.

Grape Sense LogoIf you wish to buy someone a nice bottle of wine as a gift and you have no idea what they drink, it gets a little tricky. The rules are pretty much the same whether your friend drinks $15 wine or $50 wine – go with the safe choice.

A gift of red wine is always appreciated but don’t over think it. It’s not the time to purchase your first Carmenere, Barolo, or Petite Sirah. If you want to gift wine at any price you really can’t go wrong with Pinot Noir or Cabernet Sauvignon.

Cabernet has often been called the king of wine grapes. It’s the basis for the great wines of Bordeaux and long ago put California on the world wine map. Furthermore, Cabernet is grown all around the world.

Pinot Noir is a gift for the more discerning wine consumer. Pinot comes in as many styles as any varietal but even real Pinotphiles will appreciate a good bottle.

2009mondavi-cabernet-reviewSo, what do you buy? There are two safe and easy approaches to this old problem. If you’re buying Cab or Pinot for a newer or casual wine consumer there are plenty of good bottles at $15-$20. But, buy a name you know. Don’t go for the bottle with the cute name or appealing label. But a Cabernet from Robert Mondavi, Louis Martini, Sebastiani, or similar California producer whose name you’ve seen on the shelves.

If you want to gift a Pinot at less than $20 the same rule applies. Unfortunately for your shopping convenience, value-priced Pinot is tough to find and often produced by names you may not know. Here are a few suggestions: New Zealand’s Dashwood, Oregon’s A-Z Pinot, California’s Fleur Carneros Pinot, MacMurray Ranch from Sonoma, or even an affordable Burgundy such as Joseph Drouhin Cote de Beaune Villages.

There are great choices at a slightly higher pricer for California Cabernet. Mondavi Napa Cabernet is an outstanding pick for under $30. Franciscan, Duckhorn, and Rutherford Ranch deliver great Cabs around $30 as well. If you want one in the $50 range, then look for Markham, Charles Krug, Chappellet or Joseph Phelps.
If you’re gifting Pinot Noir, try Artessa’s dynamite Sonoma County Pinot at $25.

LangeLange’s Willamette Valley Pinot for $24, or any entry level Oregon Pinot in the $25-$35 range. If you’re wanting to gift better Pinot Noir look for an Oregon label at the $40-$60 price point. If you really want the bigger fruit of a California Pinot Noir with great elegance look for Russian River Valley on the label. Many will argue about the regions but for my money the valley produces some of California’s very best.

Celebrate OTBN Saturday Night

21 Thursday Feb 2013

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OTBN2One of the joys of keeping a substantial amount of wine in your home is occasionally reaching for the good stuff. No! Don’t wait until a birthday, visit from a special friend, or otherwise unusual occasion. Just open the damn good bottle of juice and drink it because you deserve it.

Such is the thinking behind the annual Open That Bottle Night. Saturday, Feb. 23, is the 2013 OTBN so start thinking now.

OTBN has been around since the late 90s, brainchild of Dorothy Gaiter and John Brecher. The duo were wine writers for the Wall Street Journal. They left the venerable old American newspaper icon in 2009 after 11 years of wine column writing.

John-DottieThey came up with the annual “Open That Bottle Night” in 2009 to encourage wine enthusiasts to open a special bottle of wine and share the story with others.

Now you don’t need a wine column or a blog to participate. Think how much fun it would be to invite a friend or friends over and pop open something really special.

For me, it’s going to be a great Oregon Pinot Noir or maybe a California Cab. I probably won’t decide until the last minute Saturday.

OTBN is always the last Saturday in February. But don’t wait for another year to roll by before you grab a bottle of the good stuff “just because.” You can celebrate OTBN any night of the year!

Something Warm on Snowy Day

26 Wednesday Dec 2012

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Almost everything shut down in Indiana today!

A drink doesn’t always warm the soul and any health guide will tell you alcohol will not keep you warm.
But if you’re locked inside during the heavy snow,  something nice and warm to drink might make the blizzard seem less bothersome.

If you have a bottle of red wine in the house and a few basic spices, you are all set to make warm, mulled wine.

A dark fruity red wine will work best. If you are a big red wine drinker try a fruit-driven Zinfandel or Syrah/Shiraz. Any good Indiana Concord grape wine works great as well.

The fun thing about making mulled wine is you can pick the ingredients you like. A basic recipe for a bottle of red wine would include a small amount of sugar (to taste, if needed), a hint of lemon or orange juice, cloves, and cinammon.

Photo:MyRecipes.com

Get out the sauce pan (no aluminum!) and heat up the wine over low heat. Slowly add your spices and other liquids. Do not let the wine come to a boil. Alcohol will reach the boiling point much quicker than water.
Let the ingredients get friendly for 10-15 minutes until it steams. Pour the mulled wine into mugs with an orange or lemon slice, add a cinammon stick if you have one, and you have a warm evening drink that will delight.

Don’t hesitate to experiment with your mulled wine concoction. Just taste your warm winter evening beverage as you try different ingredients.

It won’t get the sidewalk shoveled, but you’ll care less about the snow!

Send comment or questions to: hewitthoward@gmail.com

Put Some Air in It for Winelovers on Your List

05 Wednesday Dec 2012

Posted by in Holidays, Newspaper Column 2012

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From left: VinOair, Soiree, Vintrui Aerators
Buying wine for the wine lover on your Christmas shopping list is fraught with peril. Do you know their tastes? Do you know their favorite varietals? Can you afford their favorites?
A gift certificates for a nearby wine shop is a nice gift. But unless you are certain of the person’s wine tastes, stick with wine accessories. Glassware makes an outstanding gift. For wine drinkers, you can never have enough wine glasses or a good decanter.
There are lots of gizmos on the wine market. You can buy all sorts of devices to remove the cork, to chill wine, and more. There is one gadget though which can be a nice addition to any vino lover’s wine accessories.
Consider buying an aerator. While the gadget isn’t new to the wine world, it hasn’t been around all that long. And now there are several types, models, and price points. Aerators can be found at better wine and liquor stores and some household stores that carry wine glasses and decanters.
For years wine drinkers would pour their wines into a decanter to soften the bite of the tannins on the finish of the wine. But in our ‘no patience, no time, and can’t wait’ society sometimes that’s not good enough.
Enter Vinturi  the manufacturer of the original wine aerator. Essentially, you pour wine through an aerator and oxygen is infused into the wine as it enters the glass and softens the taste.
Vinturi offers a base model and a Vinturi Tower model (which holds the aerator), a white wine aerator, and a travel model. The base aerator is usually priced around $35-$40. The aerator with the tower holder will cost from $50-$60.
The success of aerators has resulted in more entries into the market.
The newer in-bottle aerators have an advantage as less messy. Both of the samples I tried have a rubber-sealed neck which goes right into the wine bottle.
Soiree has a number of party and wine home supply gadgets. The Soiree is a bubble with a spout. When you turn a wine bottle completely upside down the wine swirls over the bubble and into your glass. The Soiree offers a less expensive alternative at $20-$25.
The third aerator was an in-bottle type with a sleek spout for pouring. VinOair from CorkPops would be great for travel or taking to a party. The VinOair is the least expensive of the three at $16.
But do these things really work? Ask any regular wine drinker with aerator experience, and the answer may vary.
For me, they do a nice job of making a big red wine ready to drink. And I’ve been surprised an aerator  actually helps on some white wines that have a real acidic finish.
I received samples of all three aerators and tested them with wine drinking friends. All three worked just fine and definitely softened the wine. The Vinturi is elegant; the VinOair is the most convenient, while the Soiree was the pick of my wine buddies on taste.
An aerator is a gift a wine friend might not have in their collection yet. All three companies have good websites where you can find local retailers.

EDITOR’S NOTE: All three aeration products were provided as trade samples.

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Chenin Blanc Great Thanksgiving Pairing

23 Friday Nov 2012

Posted by in France, Holidays

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Like many wine drinkers, I find Thanksgiving a time to experiment with wine pairings. As I wrote in my newspaper column, published below, the annual “Thanksgiving wine pairing” newspaper column is a challenge and a drag. How many times can you say ‘Chardonnay and Reisling go well with turkey and if you want a red try Pinot Noir.’

I did make a few other suggestions but I also like to experiment with wine and food  – and not just with Thanksgiving. Actually, I’d suggest it’s great palate-expanding exercise for any regular wine drinker. How about a Soave or even Pinot Grigio with your red sauce pasta? And one of my favorite exercises is trying to get white fish lovers to try a 100 percent Mourvedre or a nice Languedoc red blend.

Ying and yang are friends of mine and I’d encourage you to find your inner wine geek and break the molds. Drink what you like, experiment, and ignore the same ‘ol, same ‘ol.

Now, that being said, I didn’t go crazy this Thanksgiving day but I did do something different. I love good Chenin Blanc. I had never done Chenin Blanc at Thanksgiving but the more I thought about it the more I thought it should be a perfect pairing.

If you like bone dry and minerality in your whites, you’ve got to be sampling Loire Valley whites.This Domaine des Baumard 2008 Savennieres was simply outstanding. Indeed, bone dry was the first words that registered in my turkey stupor when tasting this wine. I got lemon, richness, and complexity that was a perfect partner for the bird.

An interesting sidenote, I found this bottle in an unexpectedly large wine shop in Columbus, Indiana. It was marked at $24.50. If I had better internet access visiting Mom, I’d double check the price point across the net. But it’s taken a Herculean effort to get the photo uploaded, through Photoshop, and this blog posted. My guess is that’s a pretty fair price. If you like your whites bone dry the Baumard is outstanding.

Now, I think I’ll finish the bottle off with a turkey leg!

Send comment or questions to: hewitthoward@gmail.com

Something New, Old for Holiday Turkey Pairing

18 Sunday Nov 2012

Posted by in Holidays, Newspaper Column 2012, Uncategorized

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The Golden Rule of wine and food pairing is a simple one – if you like it, drink it!
But when the family gathers for the turkey feast or at Christmas time something more is often expected. How about something different? Or maybe it’s time to serve up something a bit more extravagant!

An occupational hazard for wine writers is the expected column of wine recommendations for the holidays so who am I to disappoint?

The first rule of picking wines for a big meal is do not overly focus on the main protein. Think about all of those side dishes and the different flavors. That makes almost any wine a good pick. But with the Turkey and main course there are some certain winners and perhaps a few you’ve never tried worth picking up.
A good domestic Chardonnay will work every time. You can buy palatable bottles at the grocery or most liquor stores. I recommend value labels Robert Mondavi, Mirrasou, and flip flop as very drinkable wines if you want to keep you’re price point under $10 a bottle.

Dry Riesling is another outstanding choice. Frankly, there is so much good Riesling made in the U.S., you don’t need to think foreign to find a great bottle. New York and Michigan are areas really emerging with their Riesling wines. Washington state winemakers are producing great Riesling. Several Midwestern wineries are doing Riesling as well.

If there is a decent wine shop nearby there are several other great choices.
If you like drier wines but want a big nose of autumn in your glass try a Gewurztraminer or Viognier.  Gewurzt is one of the most aromatic wines in the world. It can be fairly sweet to off-dry. Viognier, my choice of the two, is a drier white wine with hints of apple, pear, and spice. For an even better pairing go drier with a Pinot Gris or Chenin Blanc.

For the extravagant dinner gathering, splurge for the world’s best white wine – Chablis. Better wine shops will have a few labels to choose from. Chablis is Chardonnay made in a dry, crisp style with tremendous minerality and acidity. Real Chablis comes from Chablis, France and nowhere else.

Frankly, don’t buy the other stuff. Chablis would be awesome with any poultry. You can find great bottles starting in the $20 price range and up. Domaine William Fevre, Billaud-Simon, and Drouhin are just three labels which consistently make outstanding French white wine.
Here is an option many people just won’t think about or consider, but Rose’ wines make a great pairing with poultry. Rose is that nice middle point between white and red wines and the quality continues to skyrocket vintage to vintage. Find a French Provence Rose or an Oregon Pinot Noir Rose for your Turkey.  Midwestern wineries make pretty good to outstanding Rose’ wines. Just go for the dry Rose wines regardless of region to match well with your dinner.

The red of choice has long been Pinot Noir for Thanksgiving. And again, if you are sticking with value look for the labels mentioned above.  But if it’s off to the wine shop, consider a French Beaujolais – and not that Nouveau stuff. Find a Beaujolais Cru wine from Julienas, Morgon, or Fleurie. The Gamay-based wines are very affordable at $12-$18 and great with food.

If you want to impress pick up any bottle of Oregon Pinot Noir above the $30 price point. It is sure to be a huge hit with your guests. (Lange is a personal favorite.)
Next Column: Gadgets for the wine lover on your Christmas list!
Send comment or questions to: hewitthoward@gmail.com

What’s New Year’s Without Sparkling Wine?

28 Wednesday Dec 2011

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A wine writer’s occupational hazards include obligatory New Year’s columns on sparkling wines and year-end ‘best of” lists.

It’s fun to review the previous year and pick out a Top 10 – something you’ll read in the next Grape Sense. It’s tougher to write about sparkling wines when it isn’t a favorite. Still, it’s the time of year a lot of questions come up about a New Year’s sparkler.

After a little more than three years and 82 newspaper columns, only two were about sparkling wines. Some of that is repeated here along with two best bet suggestions.

Any discussion about sparkling wine has to start with French Champagne. It’s not cheap, there is lots of it, and it can range from plain awful to magic in a glass. You can buy the Dom Perignon for around $130 a bottle. You can take a step up from that and go with Louis Roederer’s Cristal in a crystal bottle if you’re prepared to shell out $350.

But let’s face it; most of us aren’t buying that sort of wine.

If you want something more than the grocery’s usual Asti-Spumante (which isn’t bad), then you have to get into your nearest wine shop and rely on the merchant’s expertise.

A good place to start is with an Italian Prosecco. It’s generally lighter than champagne, less alcohol content, but you still get the bubbles! And you can find pretty decent Prosecco at $15-$20.

Another great pick is a Spanish Cava. Cava hails from the region around Barcelona. Cava sparkling wines have become very popular and can be found in the $10-$20 range.

If you want a good U.S. sparkling wine (only France’s Champagne region can call its juice ‘Champagne’) there are good options. California’s Korbel and Washington’s St. Michelle have value sparklers and more expensive bubbling wines that will be great for Dec. 31.

Roederer Estate in Mendocino’s Anderson Valley makes really beautiful sparkling wine at a higher price point. I tasted several of their sparkling wines during a January 2011 trip to Mendocino and all were really beautiful. The Roederer Estate sparklers range from $20-$150.

Probably the easiest to find and safest choice, that will delight your palate, is California’s Gloria Ferrer’s Sonoma Brut. The wonderful and affordable Ferrer Brut is made of the traditional blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The bubbly has a nice soft or almost creamy feel in your mouth. It tastes much better than its easy-to-digest price point of $16-$20.

My top choice for your New Year’s Eve is widely available and one of the best wines I tasted this year. Banfi Rosa Regale is a delicious Italian sparkling wine. It has strong raspberry with a rich mid-palate. The bubbles are somewhat restrained. The dark cranberry color is festive and beautiful. The alcohol is a ridiculously low 7 percent. The suggested retail is $20.

You can’t go wrong with the Gloria Ferrer Brut or Banfi Sparkling Rose’. Try either or both and celebrate the New Year!

Send comment or questions to: hewitthoward@gmail.com